


Cuddle sized

by mkhhhx



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Couch Cuddles, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Domestication, Feel-good, First Kiss, Fluff, Forests, Gen, Happy Ending, Humor, Hybrids, In a way, M/M, Morning Cuddles, Sleepy Cuddles, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, feat. our favorite wolf pup
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-04-04 08:37:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14016426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mkhhhx/pseuds/mkhhhx
Summary: Minhyuk finds a frozen puppy at his doorstep, decides to keep it.





	Cuddle sized

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SaaviYB](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaaviYB/gifts).



> This fic is part of the Monsta X fantasy themed fic exchange, so here is the original prompt, by @SaaviYB :
> 
> Changkyun is, at the basis of his literal being, a wild animal.  
> But Lee Minhyuk is just crazy enough to try and make him a house pet.  
> But what he doesn't realize is that Changkyun is just in it for the warm fireplace during the frigid winter. And, of course, cuddles. And, well, free food. As well as a place to sleep. You know, a kiss on the cheek sounds nice.  
> Love, too. Some love would be nice.
> 
> Never thought I'd write a hybrid themed fic (although as you will see I used the term leisurely) but the prompt was so cute that the idea eventually started growing on me, I hope you'll like it!

The wind is howling outside, hail hitting the windows and snow covering the field surrounding the house. Minhyuk is huddled inside, the fireplace spreading warmth and light across the simple room. He’s on the couch with a book and some tea, his eyes flickering between the pages in front of him and the windows. He knows he can’t go outside, but he’s worried. He knows some animals won’t last for long without him.

 

Sleep doesn’t come and it’s the second day the snow is so high and Minhyuk is hyperactive and tensed. He is supposed to be protecting the area and its inhabitants, but he has strict orders to not step foot outside in this kind of weather. He can only hope for the snowstorm to calm down soon, even just have a break so he can go around and make sure everyone is okay. The deer and squirrels and birds living all around the lake and deep into the forest.

 

He closes his eyes and tries to relax, the cackling of the fire dying down with every passing minute. He thinks of spring and summer, when the meadows are full of flowers and everything is alive, the weather warm and the snow melting and creating rivers flowing in the fields and between the trees.

 

His thoughts put him to peace, almost enough to grand himself some hours of precious rest, but then something is pulling him out of his daze. A foreign sound coming from outside, muffled from the noise of the snowstorm.

 

Minhyuk opens his eyes and looks to the direction of the door and the windows. He can’t see anything, but he can still hear the faint sound, claws scratching on wood. He contemplates that he is dreaming or imagining it for a few seconds, but decides to check it anyway. He gets up and crosses the small living room, turning the doorknob around and opening the door.

 

At first, all he sees is snow, a meter high, except for the narrow pathway he dug the previous day in front of his house. Then, his gaze falls directly in front of his feet. At first he doesn’t understand what he is looking at, it looks like a piece of dirty fur. Then, it stirs to life.

 

Minhyuk picks it up and holds it. It opens its eyes and looks at him, but doesn’t move any further, it looks exhausted.  
“Poor thing” Minhyuk says and takes the small animal inside, finds an old piece of cloth to cover it and take a better look. It’s a puppy, big enough that he needs to hold it with both hands although it’s skinny.

Minhyuk lifts it up “Oh, so you are a boy.” The puppy tries to wiggle out of his hold and paws at the cloth. Minhyuk wraps him up and goes to the little kitchen, telling him he’ll be right back.

 

Waiting for hot water will take long, so Minhyuk opts for boiling some. It will help the puppy stay warm and get clean, until Minhyuk has the chance to go to the vet. He has raised orphan puppies before, so he knows how to do it, but the timing is bad since his resources and food choices are very limited.

 

Minhyuk would expect the puppy to be whining and crying, but he remains quiet while Minhyuk takes him to the bathroom, puts him into the sink and gently pours the now lukewarm water on his fur, with a bit of shampoo. The dried dirt and mud wash off and there’s a deep grey fur underneath, soft to the touch.

“Are you feeling better buddy?” Minhyuk asks as he wraps the puppy into a tower and dries him off. The puppy escapes his hold, shakes his little body and splashes the walls of the corridor. At least it’s only water and he seems livelier.

 

There’s not much in the house. Some meats stored in the freezer, cans of fish and bags of rice. Minhyuk doesn’t have any milk so he finds the alternative of chicken broth soup a good one. It doesn’t take too long to prepare and it’s warm, so he hopes it’ll be okay for the puppy’s stomach, because the last thing he wants to deal with is a sick animal and vomit on the carpets.

 

He serves at two bowls, a plastic one for the puppy and a wooden one for himself. He sets the first one on the floor and looks at the puppy eying him from a short distance. He either has never had been in contact with humans or his experiences with them were only bad ones.

 

“Come on, eat something” Minhyuk says in the lightest voice he can manage, squatting to seem as friendly as he can. The puppy walks towards him, smells the bowl cautiously and tries some soup with the tip of his tongue, it’s really cute. Then, after a few more tentative licks, the puppy starts eating fast, practically inhaling the soup. Minhyuk refills the bowl and sits on the table to eat his own food.

 

He wonders when it was the last time the puppy ate, if he has a family or escaped from someone. He has no collar around his neck but the doctor can tell him if he has a recognition chip from an owner, since although a puppy he’s already big enough, probably around half a dozen months old.

 

When he’s done eating, Minhyuk sits on the carpet next to the puppy. He wants to pet him, but also doesn’t want to scare him, so he waits until the puppy comes towards his body, which eventually happens. It doesn’t look like he wants to be pet, lying between the man and the fireplace and Minhyuk resists running his hands through the soft fur.

 

He throws more wood in the fire to keep it alive and brings old clothes to form a makeshift bed for the puppy. The animal climbs on it and wags his fluffy tail to Minhyuk happily, tummy filled with food. Minhyuk climbs on the couch and exhaustion takes over him.

 

 

 

 

When Minhyuk wakes up again, it has stopped snowing and shy rays of sun are entering the living room through the large windows. But that’s not what woke him up. It is the whiny sound coming from somewhere next to him and the light pulling on his shirt.

 

“Hey” he turns and looks at the puppy on the floor, mouthing his shirt and obviously in need of something. Minhyuk stands on the couch and takes some moments to remember what happened the previous night. He took in a puppy, right.

 

He gets up, ready to warm up some leftover soup, thinking his new friend is hungry again, but the puppy heads for the door, scratches and whines until Minhyuk opens it, a wave of frozen air getting inside and making him shiver.

“Please don’t run away” he says, watching him hopping out and sniffing around the fence of the yard. The puppy finds a spot he likes and lifts one leg. Oh. That’s why it wanted to go out, clever puppy. Minhyuk watches it pawing some snow on the spot and coming back inside and straight to his bowl.

 

It’s time to make some calls. Hyunwoo comes first, his higher up and responsible for the whole area. Minhyuk checks the time and knowing Hyunwoo is a morning person he finds it acceptable to call at seven thirty in the morning.

“Good Morning hyung” Minhyuk greets and there’s shuffling from the other end of the line “did I wake you up?”

“Oh no, don’t worry, I was out jogging.” Right, Hyunwoo lives in the village and the roads are free of snow “is something the matter? Are you alright alone there?” Typical Hyunwoo, always concerned.

“Everything is alright, did you see the weather forecast? I’ll go out today to patrol and later I’ll come to the village to Hoseok.”

“To Hoseok?”

“Yeah, I found a puppy last night.”

“A puppy in the middle of nowhere? Lucky little thing. Pass by from my office for a coffee if you have any time, right?”

“Of course hyung, see you.” Hyunwoo hang up first and Minhyuk gets ready for the day.

 

He checks the weather forecast one last time to make sure it’ll be clear of snowstorms until late afternoon. Then Minhyuk puts on his thick coat, heavy boots and gloves, takes his army knife and map of the area in his pockets. Before leaving he notices the puppy watching him, still in front of the fireplace.  
“I need to be out for a couple of hours, please don’t eat my couch, okay?” Minhyuk could swear that the puppy nodded to him, a lazy little shake of his head. Minhyuk smiles before closing the door behind him and locking.

 

The forest is frozen, beautiful, but there are no signs of live, that’s why Minhyuk detests winter. There are ice crystals hanging off of the tree branches, but no flowers, natural formed ice skating rinks, but no animals and birds on site. Thankfully, there are usually no hunters in winter as well. Minhyuk walks peripherally around the forest and checks every known animal nest he remembers. He sees some deer and takes a peek at the cave he knows bears are hibernating, sealed with thick walls of snow.

 

The peaceful atmosphere, helps Minhyuk relax as he walks around. He has been a ranger for a half a decade now and every winter is harsher than the previous one. When he took the job offer some years ago, when the old ranger died and Minhyuk, fresh out of engineering college, needed some money, he didn’t expect to stay for so long. But he fell in love with the forest, with every little shake of the trees dancing in the wind and every new-born fawn and tiny bird egg and frog croaking into the night. He adored all of it, even if seclusion was the price to pay.

 

With one look at his watch, he realises that it’s past midday already and he takes the way home. He manages to avoid getting thigh deep in snow, or the inside of his boots wet and he is soon in front of the fencing of his small house.

 

“Heeey” he greets cheerfully, but the puppy is not at the usual place in front of the fireplace. He momentarily panics and thinks of where to search first, thinking that the somehow escaped but he soon spots he on the couch, sleeping peacefully like a yarn of fur.

 

Minhyuk, quietly to not wake the puppy up takes his clothes off and left in a hoodie and sweatpants and starts making lunch. The fridge is almost empty, he needs to do shopping soon. He picks some pork, noting that one and a half portion should be enough for the two of them and makes some rice too. He has a jar of kimchi for the side as well, but he doubts the puppy wants, or can eat from that.

 

The food is almost ready, the delicious smell filling the air when Minhyuk feels like someone is watching him. He turns around the puppy is there, at the door of the kitchen watching him intensely.

“You are hungry right? It’ll be ready in a few minutes.” The animal doesn’t move an inch and Minhyuk continues stirring the meat pieces in the pan, until they are a nice red-brown and ready to be served.

 

Once again, there is a bowl of Minhyuk and one for the puppy. Instead of sitting on the table he gets on the couch, to be closer to the fireplace.

“Okay so, we’ll go to the vet after lunch to get you checked. He’s pretty great, so don’t be scared of him.” The puppy stops mid-chew and looks at him, ears jolting up. “You look healthy, but you definitely need to put on some weight.”

The puppy wiggles his tale taking one more bite.

“Should I give you up for adoption if you don’t have an owner? Or do you want to stay here? There’s plenty of space and I could use some company.”  
The puppy looks at him and if dogs could talk Minhyuk is sure it would have so much to say, but of course, it doesn’t.

 

Minhyuk takes a small nap, gets woken up by whining, quiet, but persistent. Right, it’s peepee time, so he lets the puppy outside while he gets dressed again and starts the car to warm up the engine. When it’s all set, he calls the puppy making kissy sounds and he jumps right on his lap and then to the passenger’s seat.

“You’re such a clever boy” Minhyuk coos and pets his head.

 

It’s an half an hour drive to the town, going extra slow because the roads are frozen and dangerous, even for Minhyuk’s huge jeep car. The puppy besides him sits quietly, looking out of the window, sniffing the air. On the one hand it looks like he was living in the forest up until now and on the other like he had a perfect training somehow.

 

Minhyuk parks in front of the Shin clinic, opens his arms and the puppy obediently jumps in them, lets Minhyuk carry him in the building. There are no other patients with their owners waiting and Minhyuk knocks at Hoseok’s office, a cheerful voice letting them in.

 

Hoseok greets them with a wide smile, seated behind his heavy wooden desk filled with stacks of books.

“Who’s that cutie!?” He gets up and walks around the desk to get in front of them.

“It’s Minhyuk!” Minhyuk says and Hoseok does his best to ignore him but he ends up giggling.

“Okay, but who is this?” Hoseok points at the puppy, looking a little scared in the new environment of the clinic.

“I found him freezing on my doorstep bevause he was scratching my door.”

“Let’s take a look” Hoseok puts some latex gloves on and motions them to come to the examination table. Under the lights, the puppy starts trembling.

 

“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you” Hoseok says and Minhyuk pets the puppy’s head to calm him down. Hoseok puts his stethoscope around his neck and then stops, staring at the puppy trying to jump down from the table.

“Minhyuk…” he says and he squints his eyes.

“Hm?” Minhyuk hums, scratching the puppy between the ears.

“...I think that this is a wolf.”

“Oh.”

 

Hoseok manages to take a closer look and really, the hints are all there, grey rich fur, pointy ears, big teeth. The puppy growls when Hoseok opens him mouth but it doesn’t seem like he has the intention to bite the vet.

“Yeah, I’m 99% sure this is a wolf pup Minhyuk, you should leave it to the sanctuary.”

“But we have already started bonding and he is so good! Can’t I just keep him?”

“It’s a wild animal Minhyuk, what if he hurts you? You don’t know how to handle a wolf.”

“I can try.” The puppy rubs his head on Minhyuk’s arms, as far from Hoseok as he can on the examination table.

“Look, I can’t tell you not to keep him, but you should be prepared to have a hard time once he grows up more.”

“Okay” Minhyuk is firm on his decision, the puppy behaves like it wants to stay with him anyway. If it gets too hard, there’s always the sanctuary “should we start with the vaccines now?”

“What?” Hoseok’s eyes go wide.

“Well it’s basically a wild dog so it’s more or less the same right?” Hoseok sighs and prepares the needle.

 

Minhyuk never thought puppies could be afraid of needles, but his own is absolutely terrified of it. Thankfully, Hoseok is patient and keeps the puppy in place and it’s over in seconds. The vet suggests a diet to Minhyuk, because the puppy is skinny, but also they suppose its diet should consist of different foods than a dog’s. Hoseok says that the puppy must be around four to six months old and it will soon go into its teenage phase and will give Minhyuk hell. Minhyuk just looks at the animal adoringly.

 

They leave Hoseok’s office with a bag of special food, a pill for stomach worms that Minhyuk should give to his puppy later and a toy ball, a present from the vet. They discussed collar and leash training, but Minhyuk leaves alone in the middle of nowhere, so he decides that there’s no need for it for the time being and the puppy licks his palm when he says it.

 

It has already gotten really late by the time they finish with the vet, so Minhyuk sends a message to Hyunwoo explaining that they won’t make it to his office and hops in the car with his puppy. It has already started snowing again and the road is muddy, full of bumps, so Minhyuk puts the radio on and drives slowly. The puppy hears music and tries to howl, but it’s too high pitched and broken.

“You’re doing great” Minhyuk says anyway.

 

When they arrive home and Minhyuk parks in front of the house, the puppy runs outside and he can see it walking around the fence and stopping here and there. Then Minhyuk realises he’s marking his territory. Cute.

 

They get into the house together and Minhyuk puts the dog food into the puppy's bowl and brings out a second one for water. The puppy approaches the food slowly, sniffs it, takes a small bite and looks at Minhyuk sitting in front of the bowls.

“You don’t like it? You want more meat?” It runs to him “You are so clever, but try to eat because it’s nutritious for you.” He remembers the pills he needs to give. Hoseok told him to open the puppy's mouth and practically push it down his throat until it swallows. He tries and gets his finger bitten, the pill on the floor. To his surprise, the puppy just takes it and eats it without any protest.

 

Minhyuk heats up the remaining of his lunch to eat and feels the puppy’s eyes on with after every bite. He keeps it together for more than five minutes, but he cannot resist the puppy eyes so he gives in and shares with his new friend.

 

 

 

 

The next day is dedicated to grocery shopping after he is done with the usual patrol of the area. Minhyuk doesn’t have the heart to leave the puppy alone so he lets it in the car, rolls down the windows and watches his head hanging out, ears pushed back by the wind and tongue sticking out.

 

“I can’t take you in there.” A whine. “You need to stay here, I won’t take long.” One more whine. “I promise I will bring you treats.” No whining.

Minhyuk goes to the grocery store and buys whatever he wants in bulk, foods that can be conserved, frozen vegetables and dried up fruits. He doesn’t forget the dog treats, buys some with duck and some with pork so the puppy can chose. He also buys nuts, a treat for the squirrels showing up in his front yard and seeds for the birds.

 

When he goes back to the car, the puppy sticks his face on the window and wiggles his tail until Minhyuk opens the door and lets him outside. It’s a wolf so he must be enjoying the cold weather.

“Hey buddy, I wanna go visit someone, do you want to come? I don’t have a leash and it’s a short walk, so please don’t run away?”

The puppy turns out to be extra obedient, sticking to Minhyuk’s side unless he wants to sniff a pole or something at the side of the pavement. They get some weird looks from villagers  but Minhyuk pays them no attention. Most may not know his face, but they know that there is someone living alone deep into the forest and taking care of it.

 

Hyunwoo’s office is not far away, on the second floor of a governmental building. Minhyuk greets the doorkeeper and takes the stairs, puppy in tow. He knocks the furthest door down the corridor, a sign declaring that it’s the “environment protection” office.

“Come in” Hyunwoo’s voice echoes from inside and Minhyuk pushes the door open.

 

The office is exactly the same every time, organised, clean, with the faint scent of vanilla hanging in the air. Hyunwoo is standing in front of a board in the middle of the room, where a list of things to be taken care of until the end of the week is displayed.

“Hello Minhyuk!” Hyunwoo’s eyes turn into crescents, framed by barely noticeable wrinkles “and hello little guy!”

“Hi!” Minhyuk says back and the puppy runs to smell Hyunwoo, seems to like him already.

 

They sit, the puppy lying on the floor and listening to their conversation about the weather and the animals and all the paperwork Hyunwoo has to fill for a new park opening in town. Hyunwoo is the one who trained Minhyuk before he became a full time ranger. The older man would do the job himself, but he couldn’t ask his wife and kids to follow him into the forest, or just go to live there by himself. He worked hard though and he seems to like his office job. When the weather gets warmer every year, he takes his family and they visit Minhyuk.

 

Inevitably, the conversation turns to the puppy between them. Hyunwoo seems shocked to hear that it’s actually a wolf and thinks it’s funny that Minhyuk, who has been working with animals for so long didn’t recognise it himself. He says that the sanctuary could take good care of a wolf pup, but also supports Minhyuk’s decision to keep it, knowing that Minhyuk is lonely, even more at winter when the forest doesn’t have any visitors.

 

“What’s his name?” Hyunwoo asks.

“Ehm...he doesn’t have a name yet” Minhyuk looks at the puppy, which has lifted his head and is looking at them interested.

“We should find one then, you can’t keep calling it a puppy!” Hyunwoo says and Minhyuk nods in agreement.

 

They suggest a lot of names, but the puppy doesn’t seem to like them much. Minhyuk knows it needs to be something special.

“How about Changkyun? You can call him Kyun.” Hyunwoo rubs his chin, a habit he has had for years.

“Why Changkyun?” Minhyuk asks, the name faintly remind him of something, or rather someone.

“It’s the name of the first ranger in the area, around a hundred years ago.” Hyunwoo takes a heavy book off of a shelf, finds and shows Minhyuk a picture of the man, in front of a house he very well recognises.

“Do you like it, Changkyun?” Minhyuk turns to the puppy and he howls on top of its lungs. “I think he likes it.”

“Changkyun it is then” Hyunwoo seals it.

 

When they leave Hyunwoo’s office it is cold, but there is still some light and on the way back to the parking lot Minhyuk makes a couple stops. One to the bakery for some fresh bread, a second to buy some newspapers, see what is happening to the rest of the world and a third to buy a rotisserie chicken. He knows Changkyun will be delighted and surely, the puppy has saliva running down his chin after he smells the contents of Minhyuk’s new bag.

 

Minhyuk turns the radio on again on the way back, finds Changkyun’s favourite station and sings as off key as his heart desires along with the clumsy howling of his puppy. He can’t imagine Changkyun growing to be a scary, big wolf and he surely hopes he can actually raise the wild animal.

 

When they arrive back home, it takes a couple routes to take everything into the house, Changkyun running in and out, jumping into the snow and wiggling on his back like he’s making snow angels. Minhyuk calls him inside and Changkyun comes only after the mention of food. It’s only the second day after visiting the vet, but the special dog food is already forgotten. Changkyun will be so, so spoiled. 

 

 

 

 

A month passes and Changkyun keeps growing, almost doubling in size since Minhyuk found him and also he’s not skinny anymore, with his soft tummy, always ready for petting and his shiny fur and Swiffer like tail. Minhyuk gets used to being followed around the house, or woken up by scratching on the door because Changkyun wants to go outside. The wolf pup enjoys playing around, with his ball, or sticks giving them to Minhyuk to play fetch..

 

There is only one throwback. Changkyun is growing out new teeth and is also hyperactive. This leads to chewed furniture, books, clothing, literally everything into the house. Minhyuk tries giving Changkyun chewing toys, but the small wolf still prefers everything that is not made to be chewed.

 

Minhyuk uses his last resort, calls Hoseok.

“Hoseok, Changkyun’s chewing my living room off!” He cries into the phone and feels slightly bad when he spots Changkyun in front of the fireplace, tail between his legs and eyes downcast.

“Minhyuk, although some chewing and ripping is natural, what you are describing is not. Sounds like your puppy has anxiety.”

“Anxiety? Changkyun?”

“Yes, separation anxiety. Do you leave him alone a lot?” Minhyuk suddenly feels like he’s a really bad person.

“Only a couple of hours every morning when I patrol the area.”

“Does he usually destroy things when you are out and gets calm when you are in the house?”

“Yeah…” Changkyun has not even once caused trouble when Minhyuk was in the house.

“Two options, either you train him to be quiet when you are out by leaving him for small amounts of time first or you take him with you, although you may be raising a very depended dog...wolf.”

Minhyuk thanks him and falls back on the couch.

 

Changkyun is sitting still and waiting but Minhyuk has already decided what to do, and the next day when he is about to leave he calls Changkyun to go out on patrol with him.

 

Changkyun gradually gets less restless, the hours spent out in the forest every morning tiring him out and when they are back for lunch he eats, human food of course because he prefers it to dog one and Minhyuk can't say no to him, and falls asleep right after, always at his favourite place in front of the fireplace. Minhyuk has thought of buying a bed, but Changkyun prefers sleeping on a pile of old clothes. Minhyuk supposes they smell just like him and it’s comforting.

 

Some more months pass and Changkyun is reaching his adult size and the people in the town get scared every time they see him, but to Minhyuk he is still a puppy. Changkyun enjoys scratches behind his ears and at the base of his tail. He likes playing in the snow and licking Minhyuk’s cheeks when the man is eating. Changkyun likes helping with the grocery bags, taking one or two gently between his teeth and helping his owner carry them inside. Minhyuk likes taking baths with Changkyun, both of them squeezing in his little bathtub and playing with the warm water until it goes cold.

 

Minhyuk swears that Changkyun is cleverer than any other dog he has seen or heard about. He follows Minhyuk’s demands perfectly, never causes trouble or runs too far when they are in town, even stays still for Hoseok to examine him. Minhyuk never had to teach him commands, because somehow Changkyun knew already every word, as if he was a human. And the times Changkyun wasn’t doing what he was asked, it was because he wanted to play some more, or he was upset and sulky.

 

Soon, Changkyun’s favourite nap place transfers, from the front of the fireplace to the couch and to Minhyuk’s bed. Minhyuk can’t say no and neither really stop a full grown wolf from climbing on his bed, because Changkyun has become really strong, still thin, but all lean muscles from exercising in the nature. So they do everything together, sleep, patrol, eat lunch, nap, play outside and then repeat again, with the exception of when they go to the town. There are only two places where Changkyun doesn’t follow Minhyuk, the grocery store and apparently, the toilet.

 

There are small moments when Minhyuk realises that Changkyun is, in fact, a wild animal and not a pet to play with. Could kill Minhyuk in seconds if he wanted to, but instead licks him and rubs on him and sits on his lap like it’s a poodle. The snowstorms are rarer, spring coming soon and Changkyun comes back home dipped in mud every day and Minhyuk doesn’t let him in until he sits under the hose to wash him off. Changkyun with his expressive eyes somehow manages to convince Minhyuk to let him play some more, and every single time they end up both playing in the yard. Minhyuk has never been so dirty, but neither so happy.

 

Minhyuk notices that Changkyun loves nature. In the rare times during the winter that they found some squirrel or small bird frozen while they patroled and took it back home to nurse it to health, Changkyun was really gentle, didn’t try to eat, or play with it when it was wounded or sick. The other animals also are not scared of him, trusting the wolf to be next to their cages. Changkyun must be some magical kind of wolf.

 

Changkyun eventually becomes too big for Hoseok’s examination table and he’s still scared of needles, so Minhyuk has to hold him in his arms and kiss his fluffy cheeks until it’s over. Hoseok is amused to say the least. He once tells Minhyuk that he didn’t think he would manage to actually keep the wolf.

 

There are the rare times, when Changkyun behaves like a typical wolf, sneaks out of the house at night and howls to the moon. He wanders off alone in the forest for days and Minhyuk loses any trace of him, but he’s not concerned, because Changkyun always comes back.

 

 

 

 

 

Then, one morning at the start of the spring, snow melting into puddles in Minhyuk’s yard and the first of flowers shyly poking out of the ground, something strange happens. Minhyuk is outside, cleaning and digging to make a small vegetable garden when the weather gets a bit warmer. He has left Changkyun dozing off on the couch after playing fetch the whole morning. The wolf was laying on his back, legs sprawled out to all directions, enjoying the warmth from the fireplace on his belly.

 

Maybe if Minhyuk waited for Changkyun to wake up and asked him to help with the hole digging they could finish in half the time so he decides to leave his project unfinished and go inside to have a bath and start preparing their late lunch. He takes his work gloves off, turns the door handle and steps out of his dirty boots before entering. He closes the door behind him and heads to the couch to check on his wolf. But Changkyun is not there.

 

Instead, there is a stark naked man on his couch, sleeping on one of his jackets. Minhyuk screeches in panic. Everything happens so fast afterwards. The man opens his eyes, jolts up with a terrified expression and then, with a barely heard “puff” he transforms. To Changkyun. And runs out of the living room, to some other room, Minhyuk hearing the claws hitting the floor.

 

He stands in the middle of the living room confused, waiting until he wakes up from that strange dream or until Hyunwoo steps out from somewhere and tell him that this is somehow a joke. Instead, complete silence is spreading through the house and Minhyuk decides to get it together and look around. There’s nothing in the bedroom or the bathroom and that leaves only his crowded storage room.

 

The usually shut door is half open, the small crowded room dark and it takes a while for Minhyuk’s eyes to adjust. He opens the door enough for some more light to sneak into the place and then he sees him. Changkyun, his wolf, curled under a low shelf, making himself impossibly small and trembling more than the first time they visited the vet.

 

“Changkyun?” Minhyuk calls softly and blue eyes stare back at his own, but the animal doesn’t move. He decides against pressing Changkyun to get out. Also he needs time for himself as well, to realise what happened. “I’ll be at the living room, you can come when you want” Minhyuk closes the door and goes to the couch, sits looking outside.

 

So Changkyun, his wolf, is human? It doesn’t make any sense and at the same time it does. That’s why Changkyun listens so well and always seems like he understands Minhyuk perfectly. Also, he detests dog food and knows what needles are.

 

Minhyuk waits until the fire turns to charcoal and ashes and it starts snowing again outside, probably the last time before spring comes for good. Minhyuk wants to ask so many questions, why was Changkyun hiding for so long and why did he turn to human? Did Changkyun knew he could do that? Minhyuk knows that the wolf didn’t want and would never harm him.

 

“Minhyuk?” Hearing someone calling his name in the house he was living alone for years is a strange experience for Minhyuk. This is Changkyun’s voice, a human voice. Minhyuk walks to the storage room and stands in front of it.

“I’m here, Changkyun.”

“Please bring me some clothes” A small voice asks from inside and even if human, every aspect of it reminds Minhyuk of a wolf. It’s rough and low, like a howl.

 

Minhyuk remembers which clothes are Changkyun’s favourite to snuggle. He takes a large old hoodie and some sweatpants, leaves them at the other side of the door without looking inside and he hears shuffling. He returns to the living room and his heart beats so fast he thinks it’s about to fly off of his chest.

 

There are soft steps on the carpeted floors and a boy appears at the corridor, walks slowly towards Minhyuk without a word and sits cross legged with his back turns to the fireplace. Minhyuk takes in his appearance. The boy, who doesn’t look that much younger than him has messy black hair and eyes, clothes hanging off his thin frame. He looks scared.

 

“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk now.” If Changkyun was still a wolf, his tail would be between his legs and Minhyuk has the urge to hug him and tell him that he won’t harm him.

“I want to do this now.” Changkyun takes a big breath.

 

Minhyuk makes tea for the both of them, Changkyun taking the mug in his hands and looking at it confused. Minhyuk wonders if he has ever used human things before, with his hands. As out of a habit, before drinking his tea Changkyun sniffs it and licks it with the tip of his tongue before taking a sip. Minhyuk giggles and the boy notices him.

 

“I am...I am a wolf-human hybrid...as you saw. I can transform to one form or the other at will, but I very rarely use my human form, it makes me feel vulnerable. This is a trait my whole family has.”

“So you have a family?” Minhyuk interrupts and Changkyun nods, his lips turning to a slight frown.

“Originally, a long, long time ago our purpose was to look after the forest. We hunted in wolf form and collected berries and farmed vegetables in human one, living in small communities and taking care of the forest. Humans rarely saw us, but gave us many names in their legends, like forest deities, shapeshifters or just hybrids. Many families still live in the forest, you cannot make them apart from the actual wolves.”

 

“So what happened to your family?”

“My father made a deal with some hunters. We would help them and in turn get a good share of meat and have a warm place to spend the winter. He was a good man and they took advantage of him, started using him, my mother and my brother for dog fights. I was born into a tiny cage and my mum used to tell me stories about the forest. When they started training me for fighting too, making me attack smaller animals like dogs and foxes I decided to run away and ended up into the forest. When I came to your door I was almost sure I would freeze to death. So, thank you Minhyuk. I never thought of doing any harm to you, please believe at least that.”

 

Minhyuk sits there gaping, trying to take in all the new information about Changkyun.

“Come here” he pats at his lap and sees how unsure Changkyun is, when he gets up and climbs on the couch, on Minhyuk, like they have done so many times before. Minhyuk wraps Changkyun with his hands, kisses the crown of his head and pets it, in the way he knows wolf-Changkyun can calm down and soon human-Changkyun is pressing closer, eyes shut and a smile on his face, an actual puppy.

“You are the best thing that has happened to my life Changkyun, my opinion of you won’t change” Changkyun gives him a dirty look “okay, it will a bit, but in a positive way. You can stay here as long as you want and I’m happy to have you here as a human too, if you are comfortable.”

“I want to stay here forever” Changkyun mutters, rubbing his head on Minhyuk’s chest.

 

 

 

 

 

At first, Changkyun is shy to transform to his human form, legs wobbly and hands clumsy. Minhyuk teaches him to use the chopsticks and fold clothes and everything human that Changkyun wouldn’t be able to do with his paws. Changkyun learns fast, eager to help Minhyuk around the house as much as he can.

 

Sometimes he changes from one form to the other suddenly. Minhyuk is cuddling a fluffy wolf and the next moment he is on top of a bony boy. They keep cuddling anyway. Changkyun sometimes forgets that his wolf part doesn’t need clothes while his human does, so he transforms and doesn’t realise he’s walking around the yard naked, until Minhyuk is looking at his direction and laughing, rushing to bring him a shirt and some shorts.

 

Spring comes at full force, the nature changing to green, their first plants growing up at the yard and baby animals appearing all around the forest. Minhyuk once watches Changkyun approaching a group of deer, a fawn coming to smell the wolf and Changkyun licking its snoot.

“I can talk to the other animals you know” Changkyun tells him one night, when Minhyuk is asking all kinds of questions about how he perceives the world as a wolf.

 

When there is no more snow left, the sky clear of clouds and the flowers dotting the landscape with colour, Hyunwoo visits them with his family. The kids are so scared of Changkyun at first, but then he barrels and brings them his ball and lets them climb on his back to go to an adventure.

 

“I didn’t believe you would actually keep a wolf, how did you ever managed to domesticate him?” Hyunwoo asks, watching the wolf play with his kids from a distance.

“I hardly did anything, he’s wonderful.” Minhyuk smiles, offer’s Hyunwoo’s wife some more of his home-grown tea.

 

The forest never really had many hunters, but the little left eventually get scared by Changkyun’s howling. A rumour spreads in town, that a giant wolf lives in the forest and will rip apart anyone that comes into its territory. Minhyuk laughs because out of the window Changkyun is on his stomach at the yard, only in one of Minhyuk’s shirts and he is looking at the delicate flowers, gently running his fingers on the petals. Minhyuk knows that Changkyun has another side too, one where he is a wild animal, driven by his instincts, but he has yet to see it. The idea both exciting and scary.

 

 

 

 

“Changkyun please stop trying to scratch your ear with your foot. Or at least become a wolf first. And put some clothes on maybe?” Changkyun looks at him from where he’s sitting butt naked on the floor and gets up to join him in the kitchen, after scratching behind his ear with his hand, in the proper human way.

 

“What are you cooking?” The boy hugs Minhyuk from behind, his face flat on his back.

“Your favourite.” Minhyuk stirs the meat in the pan, to demonstrate.

“Pork?” Changkyun gets excited, licks Minhyuk’s cheek, because he sometimes gets confused and behaves like a wolf on two legs. Minhyuk would think it would be somewhat disgusting if it was anyone else, but he is too whipped for Changkyun.

 

 

 

Somewhere between lazy afternoon snuggles and playing in the yard and going on patrol they share their first kiss, as soft and sweet and chaste as it goes and Changkyun blushes and hides his face behind his hands while Minhyuk is happily giggling.

 

Minhyuk some days wakes up with messy licks all over his face and some others with kisses on his cheeks, and he doesn’t know what he loves more, but then again, he loves everything that Changkyun is.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
